Associated Press stories, Page 2089
Kevin Harvick cruises with another dominant performance in Atlanta
HAMPTON, Ga. — Kevin Harvick turned in another dominating run at Atlanta Motor Speedway, cruising to victory over Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. in the NASCAR Cup race Sunday. Competing again in front of empty grandstands, Harvick won for the second time since NASCAR returned from the shutdown caused...
Minneapolis council majority backs disbanding police force
MINNEAPOLIS — A majority of the members of the Minneapolis City Council said Sunday they support disbanding the city’s police department, an aggressive stance that comes just as the state has launched a civil rights investigation after George Floyd’s death. Nine of the council’s 12 members appeared with activists at...
Virginia officer charged in use of stun gun on black manVideo
FAIRFAX, Va. — A white Virginia police officer was charged with assault and battery in connection with the use of a stun gun on a black man, authorities announced. Fairfax County police Officer Tyler Timberlake arrived on scene and fired his stun gun at the man after other officers had...
New York Times editorial page editor resigns amid fury over op-ed
NEW YORK — The New York Times’ editorial page editor resigned Sunday after the newspaper disowned an opinion piece by U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton that advocated using federal troops to quell unrest, and it was later revealed he hadn’t read the piece prior to publication. James Bennet resigned and his...
Strong wind, rain as tropical storm makes Louisiana landfallVideo
NEW ORLEANS — Tropical Storm Cristobal made landfall Sunday on the Louisiana coast, packing 50 mph wind and spinning dangerous weather as far east as northern Florida, where it spawned a tornado that uprooted trees and downed power lines. The lopsided storm moved ashore between the mouth of the Mississippi...
10-foot great white shark kills surfer in AustraliaVideo
SYDNEY — A 60-year-old surfer was attacked and killed by a 10-foot great white shark off the coast of northern New South Wales state on Sunday, officials said. The man received a bite to the back of his thigh and was brought to the shore by other surfers who had...
NASCAR vows to do better job addressing racial injusticeVideo
HAMPTON, Ga. — Bubba Wallace donned a black T-shirt with the words “I Can’t Breathe,” and NASCAR paused before Sunday’s Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway to acknowledge the country’s social unrest. The governing body vowed to to do a better job of addressing racial injustice in the wake of...
Virginia man’s hand blown off; note references violence against women
ABINGDON, Va. — A southwest Virginia man who blew off his hand in an apparent explosives accident has been charged in federal court after authorities say they found evidence he was making a bomb and wanted to target “hot cheerleaders” because of his sexual frustrations. An FBI affidavit filed Friday...
JK Rowling’s tweets on transgender people spark outrage
LOS ANGELES — “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling is facing hefty backlash after she posted a series of tweets about transgender people. Rowling drew outrage Saturday on Twitter when she criticized an opinion piece from Devex that used the phrase ” people who menstruate.” “I’m sure there used to be...
Democrats’ legislation would overhaul police accountability
WASHINGTON — Democrats are proposing to overhaul legal protections for police, create a national database of excessive-force episodes and ban police choke holds in legislation coming Monday in response to the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement, according to a draft outline obtained by The Associated...
Philadelphia mural of controversial ex-mayor Rizzo removed amid protests
PHILADELPHIA — The image of former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo was removed from the side of a building in south Philadelphia amid large protests in the city on the issue of police brutality. Mural Arts Philadelphia said Sunday morning that the mural was being painted over with the consent of...
Conor McGregor makes 3rd retirement announcement in 4 years
Conor McGregor has announced his retirement for the third time in four years. McGregor abruptly made his latest dubious declaration Sunday morning on his Twitter account, where the former two-division UFC champion also announced his retirement in 2016 and 2019. “Hey guys I’ve decided to retire from fighting,” McGregor wrote...
Former Bengals star Ken Riley dies at 72
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Former Cincinnati Bengals standout Ken Riley, who was later a head coach and athletic director at his alma mater Florida A&M, died Sunday, the university announced. He was 72. Riley played 15 seasons for the Bengals as a defensive back, with 65 career interceptions for 596...
Watery end for statue of slave trader in UK city of Bristol
LONDON — For someone who died nearly three centuries ago, Edward Colston has become a symbol for the Black Lives Matter movement in Britain. The toppling of his statue in Bristol, a city in the southwest of England, on Sunday by anti-racism protesters was greeted with joyous scenes, recognition of...
Officials urge Floyd protesters to get coronavirus tests
NEW YORK — As New York City prepared to reopen after a more than two-month coronavirus shutdown, officials on Sunday lifted a curfew that was put in place amid protests of police brutality and racial injustice. But they also urged that demonstrators be tested for covid-19. “Get a test. Get...
Deputy killed in California ambush by Air Force sergeant
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — A Northern California sheriff’s deputy was killed and two law enforcement officers wounded Saturday when they were ambushed with gunfire and explosives while pursuing a suspect, authorities said. The U.S. Air Force confirmed Sunday that the suspect was an active duty sergeant stationed at Travis Air...
World reaches 400,000 virus deaths as Pope urges caution
BARCELONA, Spain — The confirmed global death toll from the covid-19 virus reached at least 400,000 fatalities on Sunday, a day after the government of Brazil broke with standard public health protocols by ceasing to publish updates of the number of deaths and infections in the hard-hit South American country....
‘A long time coming’: Iconic Lee statue to be removed
RICHMOND, Va. — David Harris Jr., a nephew of humanitarian and tennis legend Arthur Ashe, tried for decades to get a street named after his uncle in Richmond, the hometown that once denied Ashe access to segregated public tennis courts. Finally, in 2019, the City Council approved the renaming over...
Left out: More workers now losing hope of getting back jobs
NEW YORK — Eric Benz didn’t worry very much when his graphic design firm in Atlanta laid him off in March. He felt sure he’d be recalled to work once the viral pandemic eased and his firm’s clients resumed spending. Three months later, there’s been no call. Instead, Benz has...
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says he’s “embarrassed as a white person”Video
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he’s “embarrassed as a white person” that George Floyd could die in such a “nonchalant” manner. The 71-year-old Popovich addressed Floyd’s death in a video released Saturday by the Spurs as part of the team’s #SpursVoices social media series. Floyd...
Iowa strength coach put on leave amid racism allegationsVideo
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa football strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle has been placed on administrative leave after several black former players posted on social media about what they described as systemic racism in the program. Head coach Kirk Ferentz made the announcement Saturday night, calling it “a defining...
Honor A. P. wins Santa Anita Derby; Improbable takes Gold CupVideo
ARCADIA, Calif. — Honor A. P. won the $400,000 Santa Anita Derby by 2 3/4 lengths Saturday to move into the Kentucky Derby picture. Ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Honor A. P. ran 1 1/8 miles in 1 minute, 48.97 seconds and paid $6.40, $2.60 and $2.20. It...
Protesters flood U.S. streets in huge, peaceful push for change
WASHINGTON — Tens of thousands of protesters streamed into the nation’s capital and other major cities Saturday in another huge mobilization against police brutality and racial injustice, while George Floyd was remembered in his North Carolina hometown by mourners who waited hours for a glimpse of his golden coffin. Wearing...
Kurt Thomas, first US man to win world gymnastics title, dies at 64Video
Kurt Thomas, the first U.S. male gymnast to win a world championship gold medal, has died. He was 64. Thomas’ family said he died Friday. He had a stroke May 24, caused by a tear of the basilar artery in the brain stem. “Yesterday, I lost my universe, my best...
Zuckerberg-funded scientists: Rein in Trump on Facebook
BOSTON — Dozens of scientists doing research funded by Mark Zuckerberg say Facebook should not be letting President Trump use the social media platform to “spread both misinformation and incendiary statements.” The researchers, including 60 professors at leading U.S. research institutions, wrote the Facebook CEO on Saturday asking Zuckerberg to...
